This invention relates to weed trimmers of the type attached to powered hand tools for cutting vegetation such as grass and weeds.
The invention comprises a head for attachment to a portable powered tool and the head includes a cutting element for cutting the weeds and other vegetation and means for attaching the cutting element to the power tool.
The invention as thus far described is well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,882 issued Oct. 28, 1980 to Elderick D. Chartier for CUTTER HEAD AND CUTTERS FOR A VEGETATION CUTTING TOOL discloses a cutter head for attachment to existing powered tools including a drive stud or arbor for threaded attachment to a driven shaft of an existing power tool. The drive shaft or arbor in Chartier penetrates the body and is threadably engaged with a closure plate to complete the assembly. The cutter elements of Chartier are preformed wire blades, the fixed end of each wire blade being looped about a boss and extending about a centrally located abutment with the free end of the blade extending radially outwardly from the cutter head. The wire blades of Chartier present a safety hazard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,336 issued Nov. 17, 1981 to Hiromasa Miyata for CUTTER BLADE ASSEMBLY FOR WEED AND GRASS TRIMMERS discloses a generally flat circular cutting blade with a plurality of cutting teeth extending radially therefrom. In one embodiment an upper securing plate is disposed above the cutter blade and a second or lower securing plate is disposed beneath the cutting blade. The two securing plates are fastened together to clamp the cutting blade between them. The cutting teeth extending radially outwardly from the cutting plate are stiff or rigid and include a beveled cutting edge which presents a safety hazard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,964 issued May 26 1981 to James R. Moore for APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, TRIMMING AND EDGING VEGETATION AND THE LIKE discloses a vegetation cutter using flexible monofilament line such as commonly used for fishing, as a cutting element. Moore's cutting elements or flails are connected at corresponding fixed ends to a support structure rotatable with a drive shaft of a power tool. The support structure which supports the cutting elements is protected by a larger diameter shield and the cutting elements extend outwardly beyond the protective shield.